Written Answers Friday 16 July 2010

Scottish Executive

Deaf and Hard of Hearing People

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to the use of online interpreting services for deaf people for (a) consultations, (b) information services, (c) health services and (d) other public services.

Alex Neil: The development of online BSL/English interpreting services is a matter for the service providing agencies (such as health boards and local authorities) and for the deaf sector. The service providers are responsible for funding interpreting services in order to communicate with their customers, and there is evidence of an increasing number of service providers establishing contracts with deaf organisations to provide online services. The deaf sector which wishes to provide the service has agreed that it is a highly competitive market and is best left to market forces to develop.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing People

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made assessments of the available online interpreting services for deaf people.

Alex Neil MSP: The Scottish Government funded a small pilot of online interpreting services in 2007-08 to see if an online interpreting service could be delivered successfully. From the pilot and our knowledge of other services which are being developed, we believe that online services will undoubtedly continue to develop and this will be led by market forces.

Dentists

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified dentists have taken up posts in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The specific information requested is not held centrally. Information showing the number of dentists who qualified from a Scottish Dental School, in each of the last three years, and took up a training post (either one year’s vocational training or two year’s dental foundation) in Scotland, broken down by NHS board area is presented in the Table.

  

NHS Board
Final Year: 2006 - 2007 & Training Post commencing 2007
Final Year: 2007 - 2008 & Training Post commencing 2008
Final Year: 2008 - 2009 & Training Post commencing 2009


Highland
4
9
11


Shetland
0
1
2


Orkney
1
1
1


Western Isles
0
2
2


Grampian
6
10
12


Tayside
16
18
23


Borders
1
0
0


Fife
5
5
8


Lothian
15
10
14


Ayrshire and Arran
8
12
7


Dumfries and Galloway
1
0
1


Forth Valley
4
5
6


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
27
26
27


Lanarkshire
21
17
15


Total
109
116
129

Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34319 by Stewart Stevenson on 18 June 2010, what the terms of reference are for the review into the exact need for new capacity for generating electricity from non-renewable sources.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Delivery Plan, published on 17 June 2009 sets out at a high level the options available to meet the statutory targets in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. This includes a largely decarbonised electricity generation sector by 2030 using renewables complemented by fossil fuelled plants with carbon capture and storage.

  As part of their obligations under s.38 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act (2009), Scottish Ministers are required to lay a report outlining the impact on emissions of the exercise of their electricity generation related functions. To fulfil this obligation, and in light of recent developments in our renewables potential, the Scottish Government is currently conducting an internal study on the extent of the need for new thermal generation. This will take account of our clear policy on CCS and CCS retrofit which requires demonstration of CCS for new coal plants on a minimum of 300MW net from day one, retrofitting by 2018 following a review of the technical and economic viability of CCS, and full CCS on new builds from 2020, and will reflect the competitive and dynamic nature of the electricity market.

  The report will include an assessment of energy demand and supply projections – including the current electricity supply base, projected rates of renewables deployment and planned retirement of existing baseload plants. It will also be informed by the energy storage and demand management study.

  The outcome of the study will provide a high level assessment on the extent of need for new thermal generation capacity and an evaluation of the potential security of supply issues that may occur in Scotland during the expected transformation towards a decarbonised electricity supply sector by 2030. This assessment will be one of the factors taken into account in considering policy on future generation options, alongside environmental, social and economic criteria.

  The initial findings will be presented to the Thermal Generation and CCS Industry Advisory Group for its consideration and advice before the report is published in the autumn.

Energy

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were made under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme from the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region by 17 March 2010 and how many were successful.

Jim Mather: By 17 March 2010, there had been 722 applications made under the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme from the Highlands and Islands. Of these, 674 were successful.

Energy

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were outstanding when the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme was closed for electricity generating technologies and for new build properties on 17 March 2010.

Mr Jim Mather: There were 219 outstanding applications for Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants on 17 March 2010. Of these, 131 related to electricity generating technologies or new build properties.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what services it has requested for the First Minister during his trip to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: None.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who will host the First Minister during his trip to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: Scottish Ministers will attend the Commonwealth Games in Delhi as representatives of a competing nation and as the hosts of the next Commonwealth Games in 2014. When attending official Games events they will be guests of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the organisers of the Delhi Games.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive where the First Minister expects to stay during his trip to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games and how much this will cost the taxpayer.

Shona Robison: The First Minister and the Minister for Public Health and Sport will be based at a central Delhi hotel which will serve as the focus for Scotland's activities during the period of the Games; including the reception for the Scottish athletes and a number of events to promote Scottish-Indian business links. All Ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Scottish Ministerial Code and with a view to securing the best possible price for travel and accommodation.

Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the use of the enrichment culture method test for screening pregnant women for group B streptococcal infections.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is given independent advice on screening by the UK National Screening Committee. The UK National Screening Committee currently recommends that a national screening programme for Group B Streptococcus should not be introduced. The evaluation of antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcal carriage against NSC Handbook Criteria is available at: http://www.screening.nhs.uk/groupbstreptococcus .

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the comparison is between the allocation and uptake of grant under the Housing Association Grant scheme in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil MSP: The comparison between the funding allocated from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) and actual spend achieved over the last three years, broken down by local authority is as follows:

  

Local Authority
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Spend
Spend
Spend


Planned
Out-turn
Planned
Out-turn
Planned
Out-turn


Aberdeenshire
16.508
9.202
19.637
24.382
14.708
14.807


Angus
5.714
8.108
3.890
4.492
4.798
6.391


Argyll & Bute
17.675
21.920
14.757
15.280
24.675
26.262


City of Aberdeen
6.767
4.232
3.922
5.184
6.767
10.626


City of Dundee
12.250
17.606
7.766
8.467
10.000
12.337


City of Edinburgh
36.100
38.601
36.100
37.900
41.500
46.500


Clackmannanshire
3.500
2.616
2.150
2.627
4.800
4.916


Dumfries & Galloway
12.767
16.728
9.700
11.625
14.267
15.489


East Ayrshire
11.533
12.679
7.000
7.800
8.933
9.125


East Dunbartonshire
5.800
8.728
5.386
6.746
7.950
8.224


East Lothian
5.600
4.836
4.400
6.916
7.900
8.222


East Renfrewshire
4.775
3.324
3.271
3.749
5.425
6.586


Falkirk
7.366
4.063
3.866
4.966
8.000
9.139


Fife
21.545
25.957
13.133
15.050
16.945
19.418


Glasgow
83.000
83.000
83.000
84.000
83.000
83.000


Highland
36.325
37.802
27.120
29.777
32.125
38.041


Inverclyde
23.565
20.827
19.280
18.479
34.500
35.007


Midlothian
4.580
6.568
3.400
3.965
5.200
5.533


Moray
9.525
14.742
6.372
5.508
12.525
12.863


North Ayrshire
10.281
10.256
6.640
7.240
7.681
7.681


North Lanarkshire
23.961
20.418
14.600
16.269
17.661
17.661


Orkney
6.000
7.007
5.033
6.287
7.904
7.471


Perth & Kinross
15.270
14.989
10.886
13.063
15.500
15.629


Renfrewshire
17.096
22.415
12.510
12.776
14.600
17.554



  

Shetland
3.800
5.728
2.640
3.401
3.800
4.735


South Ayrshire
6.674
3.552
6.300
6.800
6.683
8.439


South Lanarkshire
19.284
23.694
15.300
16.400
17.934
18.663


Stirling
10.724
9.067
3.476
4.619
7.300
7.429


The Scottish Borders
7.200
8.790
5.600
6.883
7.200
8.958


West Dunbartonshire
10.350
8.463
7.835
8.335
10.350
11.465


West Lothian
10.220
4.413
6.600
8.279
10.000
10.378


Western Isles
6.500
7.698
4.130
4.380
6.675
6.345


GHA
68.400
63.297
79.300
79.300
77.700
77.669


Other Programmes
3.836
3.412
4.000
3.219
1.000
1.429


LIFT: Shared Equity Open Market Pilot
30.000
29.838
24.000
20.321
60.000
51.715


CEC Fruitmarket
 
 
 
 
8.000
0.000


Mortgage to Rent
10.000
9.433
10.000
15.226
20.000
19.600


Council House Building
 
 
 
 
0.000
1.025


Capital Charges
 
 
 
 
0.000
5.600


2nd Stage Transfers
0.000
0.248
 
 
 
 


Total*
584.491
594.257
493.000
529.711
644.006
671.932



  Note:*Please note that the planned programme excludes additional funding allocated during the financial year.

  The majority of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) is Housing Association Grant (HAG) allocated to Registered Social Landlords, but allocations to local authority level includes all grants. The figures provided above include all grants.

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much in Housing Association Grant was awarded to each registered social landlord in (a) Falkirk and (b) Scotlandin each of the last three years, expressed in real terms.

Mr Alex Neil MSP: The following table shows a summary of the Housing Association Grant awarded to each registered social landlord in (a) Falkirk and (b) Scotland in each of the last three years, expressed in real terms:

  

 
HAG Scotland (£m)
HAG Falkirk (£m)
HAG Scotland expressed in real terms (£m)
HAG Falkirk expressed in real terms (£m)
 
 
 
 


2007-08
576.176
3.299
601.392
3.443
 
GDP Deflator for 
  2007-08 - 95.807


2008-09
523.214
4.965
530.336
5.032
 
GDP Deflator for 
  2008-09 - 98.657


2009-10
659.376
9.138
659.376
9.138
 
Calendar year 2009 =  100



  A table showing a breakdown of the summary figures for Falkirk is as follows:

  

Registered Social Landlords in Falkirk Council Area
Actual Spend £m 2007-08
Expressed in real terms £m
Actual Spend £m 2008-09
Expressed in real terms £m
Actual Spend £m 2009-10
Expressed in real terms £m


Abbeyfield Scotland Ltd
-
-
-
-
0.003
0.003


Ark Housing Association Ltd
0.005
0.005
0.005
0.006
-
-


Bield Housing Association Ltd
0.034
0.035
0.010
0.010
0.020
0.020


Cairn Housing Association Ltd
0.011
0.011
0.009
0.009
0.012
0.012


Hanover (Scotland) HA Ltd
0.052
0.054
0.034
0.034
0.467
0.467


Horizon Housing Association Ltd
0.020
0.021
0.110
0.112
0.259
0.259


Key Housing Association Ltd
0.315
0.329
0.008
0.008
0.010
0.010


Link Group Ltd
2.815
2.938
4.456
4.517
8.038
8.038


Loretto Housing Association Ltd
0.003
0.003
-
-
0.010
0.010


Paragon Housing Association Ltd
0.038
0.040
0.021
0.021
0.038
0.038


The Margaret Blackwood HA Ltd
0.003
0.003
0.021
0.021
0.001
0.001


Weslo Housing Management
0.004
0.004
0.292
0.296
0.281
0.281

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the operation of the Home Report system, taking account of the suspension of Home Information Packs in England and Wales and the impact of this on the housing market there.

Alex Neil MSP: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking an interim review of the Home Report which aims to establish whether any alteration is required to improve its effectiveness and operation.

  The review, which was commissioned in December following the Home Report’s first year of operation, will also comment on any effect the Home Report has had on the property market in Scotland. After publication this summer, Ministers will consider any recommendations arising from the review. However, there is no question of Home Reports being abolished.

  The review is focused on continuous improvement of the operation of the Home Report in Scotland, and draws on evidence and feedback from buyers, sellers and housing professionals who have used the Home Report system. The Home Report is very different to the Home Information Pack (HIP) and therefore the interim review will not consider the early impact of the removal of HIPs on the housing market in England and Wales.

Housing

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people live in sheltered housing and what the council tax banding is for such accommodation, broken down by local authority area.

Alex Neil MSP: The number of people living in sheltered housing is not held centrally.

  However information on the number of sheltered housing units provided by councils and housing associations is collected by the Scottish Government. These figures are published annually by local authority area on the Scottish Government’s website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/SpecialNeedsHousing. At 31 March 2009 there were 32,691 sheltered houses for the elderly and an additional 5,346 very sheltered houses. In addition there are also housing units which have been adapted for the elderly.

  A breakdown of these units by council tax band is not held centrally. The placing of properties into valuation bands is a matter for the relevant Assessor in each local authority area. Valuations and tax bands for similar properties will vary across Scotland due to other contributory factors, including condition and location.

Housing

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people live in one-bedroomed houses for older people in community locations and what the council tax banding is for such property, broken down by local authority area.

Alex Neil MSP: The number of people living in one-bedroomed houses for older people in community locations is not held centrally.

  However information on the number of sheltered housing units provided by councils and housing associations is collected by the Scottish Government. These figures are published annually by local authority area on the Scottish Government’s website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/SpecialNeedsHousing. At 31 March 2009 there were 32,691 sheltered houses for the elderly and an additional 5,346 very sheltered houses. In addition there are also housing units which have been adapted for the elderly.

  A breakdown of these units by council tax band is not held centrally. The placing of properties into valuation bands is a matter for the relevant Assessor in each local authority area. Valuations and tax bands for similar properties will vary across Scotland due to other contributory factors, including condition and location.

Justice

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of speeding offences per 1,000 population was in each police force area in the last three years for which information is available and what the explanation is for the differences.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is provided in the following table:

  Number of Speeding Offences Recorded by the Police per 1,000 Population, by Police Force Area, 2006-07 to 2008-09

  

Police Force Area
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Central
58
47
42


Dumfries and Galloway
127
75
76


Fife
26
27
23


Grampian
35
27
23


Lothian and Borders
45
28
22


Northern
28
25
30


Strathclyde
13
16
13


Tayside
56
53
36


Scotland
32
27
23



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

  The variation in the offence rate can be explained in some part at least by variations in the number of temporary residents and the number of vehicles passing through the area in relation to the number of permanent residents. Areas, such as Dumfries and Galloway, which has a low permanent population but a high number of temporary residents (tourist) and a high volume of through traffic from both tourism and commerce, will tend to have high offence rates when compared with other areas, such as Strathclyde, which has a high permanent population with relatively small numbers of temporary residents and relatively low through traffic volumes. Temporary residents and through traffic will contribute to the overall number of offences but, as the offence rates are calculated on the basis of permanent resident numbers, there will inevitably be an associated variation in the offence rates between areas.

  In 2006, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary underwent an inspection by HMICS. Following the outcome of this report, Dumfries and Galloway Safety Camera Partnership moved their focus to more rural roads where there were a higher number of collisions but a smaller number of offenders.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated costs are of the Lord Advocate’s guidelines on access to a solicitor by suspects.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is working closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Law Society of Scotland to monitor the impact of the Lord Advocate's interim guidelines on access to a solicitor by suspects, which were issued on 9 June 2010 and applied to all cases from 8 July 2010. At this stage it is too early to provide an estimate of the costs of the interim guidelines.

Justice

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for joint working between the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and police forces in referring young drivers who have committed road traffic offences to an approved referral scheme.

Kenny MacAskill: Young drivers are identified as a priority group in Scotland’s Road Safety Framework, published by the Government in June 2009.

  The Government has already been involved in discussions with the Police and the Crown Office on the introduction of a pilot scheme in the Grampian Police Force area which would allow young drivers the opportunity to take additional training to address their unsafe driving behaviour as an alternative to prosecution.

  The Government, Police and the Crown Office have also been working together for some years to deliver the Driver Improvement Scheme in Scotland. Under this initiative, drivers who have been charged with careless driving may be offered the opportunity to attend additional training as an alternative to prosecution. The scheme covers drivers of all ages and is available throughout Scotland including the islands.

Life Expectancy

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with South Ayrshire Council regarding life expectancy in South Ayrshire.

Shona Robison: Scottish Government has had discussions with South Ayrshire Council about its Single Outcome Agreement which includes the outcome, We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.

  This agreement sets out a number of examples of partnership working activities in South Ayrshire between the council and the Health Board to tackle inequalities in their area.

Life Expectancy

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish ministers last met (a) South Ayrshire Council and (b) NHS Ayrshire and Arran to discuss life expectancy and multiple deprivation in South Ayrshire.

Shona Robison: The Minister for Public Health and Sport met with NHS Ayrshire and Arran at their annual review on the 12 October 2009

  In addition both Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with local authority and NHS Board colleagues to discuss matters of importance to local communities, including issues pertaining to health life expectancy and multiple deprivation.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that children and young people with life-limiting and long-term conditions experience a smooth transition with a clearly defined pathway and the necessary support when moving from child to adult NHS services.

Shona Robison: NHS boards across Scotland recognise the importance of smooth transition with clearly defined pathways to support children and young people with life limiting and long term conditions moving from child to adult NHS services.

  It is recognised that transition arrangements can and should be improved as identified in the National Delivery Plan which highlights that at present adult medicine is not configured to meet the needs of young people moving from paediatric services.

  Various work streams involving multiprofessional, multiagency, service users and the voluntary sector are currently underway to address this important issue.

  For example, a working group has been established to develop proposals for the long-term care of children with complex and life-limiting conditions. Models of effective transition will be identified and reproduced.

  Managed Clinical Networks are also considering transition on a specialty basis and are in the process of developing protocols and pathways. For example, the cancer network CATSCAN has established a Teenagers and Transition Working Group, which is mapping existing services for teenagers and young people in Scotland. A sub Group of The Children with Exceptional Healthcare Needs MCN is currently reviewing care pathways.

  The Guidance Hospital Services for Young People in Scotland which was published on 5 May 2009 emphasises the need for good transition arrangements for young people moving into the adult care sector across all specialities. This report expects NHS boards to have the following in place for young people with long term conditions:

  Incorporate well-structured transition arrangements that accord with best-practice guidance;

  Take advantage of the flexibility offered by the revised age limits to defer formal transfer to adult services until the most appropriate developmental stage for the young person; and

  Give consideration to the benefits of identifying a key worker to support each young person through the transition process.

  The Guidance is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/05/07130749/10.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how children and young people with additional and complex support needs are provided for in government oral health programmes on an equal basis with all other children and young people in line with the recommendations in the report, Special Smiles Dental Project: Evaluation Report, by the University of Dundee Dental Health Services and Research Unit.

Shona Robison: Children with additional and complex support needs require care services according to their specific needs, these are led by the Community Dental Service in each Board area who has staff trained in treating children with complex medical conditions and developmental issues. There is however a universal element of the Childsmile programme (for example dental practice programme and nursery toothbrushing programme) which children should receive if they are in mainstream schools and nursery.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made in healthcare facilities, including district general hospitals, for children and young people and their families to receive registered hospital play specialist support to adjust to the environment and assist with their treatment.

Shona Robison: NHS boards across Scotland recognise the importance of play specialist support for children and young people to support them in adjusting to the hospital environment and assist with their treatment. NHS boards offer a range of play services delivered by play specialists, play assistants and/or trained nursery nurses. NHS boards are responsible for planning and delivery of services, according to the local population’s needs. This includes the provision of play therapy.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities for families, including overnight accommodation, parents can expect in the NHS while their children are being treated.

Shona Robison: NHS boards recognise the importance of supporting families whose children are being treated in hospital and provide a range of facilities for families. The facilities and support provided varies dependent on the size and type of service provided. However, all NHS boards have facilities to allow parents to stay overnight, when necessary.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% will cost NHSScotland in one year.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the question S3W-33760 answered on 21 May 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% will cost each geographical and special health board in one year.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the question S3W-33760 answered on 21 May 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects that the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% will have on NHS dentistry services in one year.

Shona Robison: No specific assessment has been undertaken on the effects of the VAT increase on dentists who provide NHS general dental services. However, we do provide considerable financial support through a series of allowances to help support dental practice costs in Scotland.

National Health Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what cost implications there are for the NHS as a consequence of the increase in VAT to 20%.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the question S3W-33760 answered on 21 May 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Pay

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to influence the private sector to pay a living wage.

Alex Neil MSP: The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that people have a decent wage and from 1 August this year nobody employed by the Scottish Government will earn under £7.15 an hour - the current living wage level proposed by the Scottish Living Wage Campaign. However beyond the levels set by the National Minimum Wage, which is reserved to the UK Government, private sector pay is a matter for companies, their employees and Trade Unions.

People with Disabilities

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-verbal adults there are,broken down by age.

Alex Neil MSP: The Scottish Government does not hold data on "non-verbal" adults by age, as this is not a recognised term used in current data collection. The Office for Disability Issues and the Office of National Statistics are currently considering whether a "communication difficulty" category might be included in future data collections, however this would be a wider category than non-verbal.

Prescription Charges

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated additional cost is of the reduction in prescription charges in 2010-11.

Shona Robison: The latest reduction in prescription charges from 1st April 2010 means patients now pay £3 per item when they pay for individual prescribed items or £28 and £10 for a 12 month and 4 month Prescription Pre-payment Certificate, respectively. The cost of the latest reductions, when compared to the cost of the policy for 2009-10, is estimated to be £8m. The Scottish Government believes this is a price worth paying to ensure more patients collect all of their prescribed medication.

Prescription Charges

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33213 by Shona Robison on 28 April 2010, what plans it has to implement electronic prescribing for (a) information prescriptions, (b) minor ailment prescriptions, (c) long-term condition prescribing by pharmacists and (d) non-medical prescriptions.

Shona Robison: The ePharmacy Programme has introduced electronic prescribing for GPs, who generate 90% of all prescriptions. In relation to other types of prescriptions:

  (a) information prescriptions do not currently exist in Scotland.

  (b) prescriptions for minor ailments are electronically generated by community pharmacists as part of the Minor Ailment Service (MAS).

  (c) and (d) currently the ePharmacy Programme does not support non medical prescribers which includes pharmacist prescribers. We are considering the future scope of the programme and non medical prescribers are part of that review.

Public Bodies

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has conducted to assess the benefits for different income groups of the use of 03 telephone numbers by public bodies.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34885 on 15 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Scottish Government Consultation

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is participating in the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Antisemitism.

Alex Neil MSP: The Interdepartmental Working Group on Anti-Semitism was established by the UK Government and does not include the Scottish Government.

Scottish Government Consultation

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement the recommendations of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism

Alex Neil MSP: Implementation of these recommendations is a matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Government is committed to tackling all forms of prejudice and discrimination and to creating the One Scotland of many cultures that we all aspire to. We have a positive on-going dialogue with the Jewish community in Scotland and as recently as 25 May the First Minister acknowledged the positive contribution this community has made to Scotland’s multi-cultural society, and heard from members of the community first hand, at a public meeting organised by the Glasgow Jewish Education Forum. We are fully committed to continuing this dialogue and ensuring that issues raised by Scotland’s Jewish community, including anti-Semitism, are being properly and appropriately addressed.

Scottish Government Expenditure

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who the accountable officer is for the expenditure incurred in relation to (a) Homecoming Scotland and (b) the Gathering 2009.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government’s Director-General Economy is the accountable officer responsible for expenditure incurred in relation to Homecoming Scotland 2009.

  The Scottish Government’s Permanent Secretary is the accountable officer responsible for expenditure incurred by the Scottish Government in relation to The Gathering 2009.

Scottish Government Expenditure

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its staff have the use of Scottish Government corporate credit cards and for what purposes.

John Swinney: There are two separate purchasing cards in use by Scottish Government staff: Government Procurement Cards, issued to designated staff in business areas where there is a need to make low value, non-recurring purchases; and Travel and Subsistence Charge Cards, issued to staff required to travel and stay overnight away from home on a regular basis according to official business need.

  Cards are allocated to staff on a rigorous and systematic basis and the use made of the cards is kept under regular review.

Scottish Government Legislation

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will lift any statutory requirement on legal authorities in relation to the provision of services to (a) children, (b) older people and (c) other groups.

John Swinney: Legislation, whether as primary legislation, secondary legislation or statutory guidance, is monitored routinely across the Scottish Government. However, Ministers have no plans to lift any statutory requirements on local authorities in relation to provision of services to (a) children (b) older people (c) other groups.

Sport

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representatives officially attended any games on its behalf at the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa.

Shona Robison: No Scottish Ministers or Scottish Government officials attended any games in an official capacity during the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa.

Sport

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken as to who will attend the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi on its behalf and, if so, (a) who this will be and (b) at what estimated cost.

Shona Robison: As Scotland will be the next host of the Commonwealth Games both the First Minister and the Minister for Public Health and Sport will attend part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, although not concurrently. At this point it is not possible to calculate the total cost of sending our representatives but we are working to ensure the best possible price.

Windpower

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of total electricity output has been generated by wind power in each of the last 12 months for which information is available.

Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally. Annual figures for electricity generated by renewables in Scotland are published online at

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Environment/seso/sesoSubSearch/Q/SID/205. In 2008, the last year for which figures are available, wind and wave power provided 6.7% of Scotland’s total electricity generation.